1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:05,439 Speaker 1: Wait that answer in the morning Breakfast Club Morning, everybody 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,120 Speaker 1: is DJ Envy Angela Ye, Charlemagne the guy. We are 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: to Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building, 4 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: legend actress Kim Field. Welcome. Thank you so much. It's 5 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: so great to be here. I can't believe I'm just 6 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: not getting here. Oh man, We're happy to have you. Yeah, really, yes, 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: how are you? First? And for I'm great? How are you? 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: I am Blessed Black and Holly Favorite. Well, alright and 9 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: alright and happy birthday. Thank you very much, thank you, 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you. How does it feel to be 11 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,279 Speaker 1: a star on yet another hit show? Well? Thank you? 12 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: Talk about you know, being blessed and favored? Um, it 13 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: feels wonderful. It's it's very surreal, quite honestly. Uh. And 14 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: we knew that we had something really great. We didn't 15 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 1: know what was gonna do what it did and continues 16 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: to do and have the impact, you know that it 17 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: has on the culture and beyond. So it's it's it's exciting, 18 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: it feels great. Of course we're talking about that up 19 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: shows if you yeah, season two? So how did you 20 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 1: get involved with the up shows? For people? I don't 21 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: know I was actually on a press tour for a 22 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: movie that I executive producing started and called Adventures in Christmasing. 23 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: And while I was in La on the press tour, 24 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: they said, Hey, can you come in and do a 25 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: chemistry meeting with Mike Apps and Wanda Sykes for a 26 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 1: Netflix series. And I wasn't checking to do a comedy, 27 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 1: but I was like, that's a trio. You can't say 28 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: no too, And so went in. Mike and I had 29 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: great chemistry, Wanda and I had great chemistry, and the 30 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,919 Speaker 1: Netflix crew was there, and before I got home, practically, 31 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: they were like, Yeah, we're gonna We're gonna do an 32 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: offer and you know, go from there. Do you have 33 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: a feeling intimidated to keep up with the humor of 34 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: the mic Apses and Wandersikes, Not at all, because we 35 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: all have our lanes, you know, and they're so funny. 36 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: But I know my lane, you know, and so and 37 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: they definitely give me a lot of great stuff to 38 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: do on the page as well, and they're not really 39 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: doing a lot of improv, you know. It's it's so great. 40 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: Our writers are misfire, you know, and so it's so 41 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: great what they do. And uh, and so you really 42 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: don't have to kind of jockey for position. You know 43 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: that we've seen recently that Martin did a reunion show. Yeah, 44 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: would you guys be interested in doing a union you know, 45 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: think about it. Um, we we have this this really 46 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: great thread, the six of us and Yvette who created 47 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: the show, this text threat and so um. You know, 48 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: we just love how everyone loves Living Single and again 49 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: talk about impact. You know that the show has made 50 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: uh and continues to make um, and we don't want 51 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: to taint that by just kind of throwing a reboot 52 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 1: together with the idea of a reunion show. Um. Thank god. 53 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,679 Speaker 1: Everybody's busy. So you know, there's no plans for one 54 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: in the immediate future, but you know, one never knows. 55 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: I saw you tell people dot Com that you got 56 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: to be cautious when you do these reboots. So it's 57 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: whether it's Facts of Life or Living Single, and said, 58 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: you have to be really careful. So what do you 59 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: what are your worries? Exactly? Well, because if you if you, 60 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: these characters are beloved, you know, Martin, Fresh Prints, uh, 61 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 1: Living Single, facts of Life, different structs. I mean, these characters, 62 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: these these shows are so beloved and these characters really 63 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: mean something to everyone, and so if you get it wrong, 64 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 1: they're gonna be mad, you know, and if you if 65 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: you get it wrong to this tune of well I 66 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: didn't see the character doing that, or now that doesn't 67 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: make sense, or trying too hard, or just you know, 68 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: almost feeling like you're trying to put a square what 69 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: is it a square peg in a round hole? And 70 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: so so you know it's almost like, hey, why don't 71 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: we just kind of keep curating what's there and acknowledge 72 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: that and celebrate, you know, the efforts that those actors 73 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: and those creatives are making now in other places. Absolutely, 74 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: as a fan is selfish in a way because it's 75 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: like we would only want that for nostalgia purposes. We 76 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: got all of the reruns, we watch it now. It's 77 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: a timely shows. We just enjoy the art that reboot 78 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: to the reunion, I mean, know the show like all 79 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: the time, Like it's like watching like the Mona Lisa. 80 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: Just go enjoy the art that was created. Was up 81 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: to what they're doing if you don't see And that's 82 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: that's what I thought was dope about the Martin. Yeah, 83 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: I think the I think those reunions are kind of 84 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: a nice happy medium, you know, a good hybrid for 85 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: we're not really rebooting, but here you get to see 86 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: us all together because certainly social media you get to 87 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 1: see everybody as much as they want you to see them. 88 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: But I think it's a good little happy medium, now, 89 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: be honest. Now I just thought about I wouldn't. I 90 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 1: would love a reunion because I love hearing Eric Alexander talk, 91 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, she's best, Yes, Queen Latif for yourself, 92 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: Kim Cole's Yeah, I would like to see that now, 93 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: just the conversation of March right, Yeah, absolutely. Well, you 94 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: know when we had one of those anniversary specials that 95 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 1: I think TV one did, and we weren't able to 96 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: get everybody, but we got quite a few of us, 97 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: and so we were sitting around and chatting about the 98 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: show and that sort of thing. So we have had 99 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: that type of a moment, not with everybody all in, 100 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: but you know, close enough for you like mind Frame 101 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: or certain episodes, how they shot at, how they felt, 102 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, I would love to hear that. 103 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: I remember the first time were not the first time 104 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: I saw yo, but I think probably one of the 105 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 1: first time I saw you all together and an interview 106 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: was on our Senio Hall. Yes, yes, back in the day. 107 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: How important was that interview at the time? That was major, 108 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, because of what the Arsenio Hall Show was 109 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: to the world. You know, at that time that was 110 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 1: what nowadays we would call that a moment, you know, um, 111 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 1: and definitely a highlight for all of us, even for 112 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: everybody that had accomplishments in the individual careers to be 113 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: able to do Our Senio at that moment in time 114 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 1: with all of us, it was it was really great, 115 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: really really just a memorable, you know moment, definitely a highlight. 116 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: Now you did Housewives that was short lived, Yes, you 117 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: didn't like it wasn't for you, No, no no, no, it 118 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: wasn't that at all. It was only supposed to be 119 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: a one and done, you know it was. It was 120 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: bread Farth with the Jets kind of moment. So so um, 121 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: you know, for me, I did what I what I 122 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 1: set out to do. The mandate at that time in 123 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 1: my career was I'm celebrating forty years in the industry, 124 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: and so my team I said, hey, let's go into 125 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: uncharted waters. We're only going to do stuff that we've 126 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 1: never done before. And so they kept asking me to 127 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: do reality for years, and I was like, no, the 128 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: time's not right, it's just too much. So we said, okay, well, 129 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: let's just give that a try and see, but knowing 130 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: that I still had other shows to do, other work 131 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: to do as a director, as a producer, all kinds 132 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: of things. So it was just one of those Okay, yep, 133 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 1: did that, and then from there being almost catapulted into 134 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: Dancing with the Stars, which was not only a game changer, 135 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: but a real life changer for me because because there 136 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 1: was such a deep dive of surrender and pushing my 137 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: limitations all the way to the point of no return, 138 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: you know, And that was the introduction to me for um, 139 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Wow. 140 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: And so from there, I haven't you know, looked back, 141 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: since it's always forward motion of what haven't I done? 142 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: What can we still do? Because there's a lot to 143 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: still be done? Did you not like reality TV at all? 144 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: You know? It's the production it's it's the production schedule, 145 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: you know, um inscripted, whether it's single camera, multi camera, comedy, 146 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: drama or whatever. Even in features, you you have a 147 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: very specific schedule. And so with reality TV, you don't 148 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: really have that, and so it's a lot more demanding, 149 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: and when you're doing other things besides that, then it's 150 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: really incredibly demanding. And it was very difficult, you know, 151 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: family wise, just with just everything else that was going on. 152 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: So it was one of those yeah, we're good, we'll 153 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: stay in the scripted spaces, will stay in the certain 154 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: lanes that that we can really maintain that type of 155 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: scheduling and that sustainability workwise. Now we're dancing with the stars. 156 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: When you were dancing or was this something like that, 157 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: I'd never done that before my life. You have now 158 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: trained from the beginning from uh, it was. It was, Um, 159 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: it wasn't difficult. Um. The challenge that I wanted to 160 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: keep rising to every day was, UM, come in as 161 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: a blank slate, be a blank canvas for my partner Sasha, 162 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: to be able to Kyrie Irvan Tray to tell lakers 163 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: possibly interesting. Sorry yeah I didn't think so. Sorry, and 164 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: we're back. Um. But but having that sense of um, 165 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: of of doing something that you've never done before, but 166 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: at the highest level, you know, UM, was really exciting. UM, 167 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: very very demanding, incredibly demanding dancing about six or seven 168 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: hours every day and I'm very competitive, um, and so 169 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: there was nothing that he could ask me to do, 170 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: and I was like, if you teach it to me, 171 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 1: I will do my very best. Um. And so now 172 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: I have that skill set at that level, and it 173 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 1: introduced other things to me, like now I want to 174 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: be I want to compete professionally in um tango. So UM, 175 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: I just started doing lessons. I make time. I make 176 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: time for it. Yeah, and then COVID happened, so I 177 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 1: had to obviously no more lessons, but you know, integrating 178 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: that back into the schedule is something that I really 179 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: want to do. How would Kim Field to describe her 180 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 1: journey in the entertainment industry? Oh? Um, I very exciting, 181 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: very surreal, you know, to be the little black girl 182 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: from Harlem, who is who is the one that's still 183 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: going you know and like our brother LLL always is 184 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: doing it and doing it and doing it well, you know. 185 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: And so it's very surreal that I'm not a stranger 186 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: to people around the world that people have known of 187 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 1: me or me since I was seven years old. Um, 188 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: It's it's you know, it's like Langston Hughes poem. Well, 189 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: a sudden I'll tell your life. For me, it's been 190 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: no crystal stairs. You know, There's there's been some low 191 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: lows and some high highs and you know all the 192 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,079 Speaker 1: all the stuff in between. Um, there's still a lot 193 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,079 Speaker 1: to look forward to. But I think at the end 194 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: of the day, I think people don't see me coming, 195 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: and well from the standpoint that that they know of me, 196 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 1: you know, but the idea of like it's almost like 197 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,719 Speaker 1: almost every time people say my name' is like oh yeah, 198 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: oh yeah, you know. And so after a while, in 199 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: order for me not to you know, have that really 200 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: messed me up. It became a thing of Okay, So 201 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: now I have to flip the script and make it 202 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: where I have the element of surprise. It's a surprise 203 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: attacks now you're just not going to see me coming, 204 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: but know that I'm here. So I think that's that's 205 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 1: the way to describe it. It's like this push pull 206 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: of I always felt very um honored, uh and and 207 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: with the flowers and and all of that, but shit 208 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: is still a grind. I'm still grinding and hustling, like damnler, 209 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: Like I'm new with this. I wonder if they don't 210 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: see you coming, because you you know, You've had the 211 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 1: blessing of having two characters that are just absolutely beloved, 212 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: like you see you see you. When you see those 213 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: two characters, you think that is it. And I think 214 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: that's some of it. I think that's some of it, 215 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 1: you know. I think that the characters that I've played 216 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: that I've been doing blessed to do these long running shows, um, 217 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: and then being behind the camera for so many years. Um. 218 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: And so it's it's just kind of those I really 219 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: like the expect the unexpected. I think that's my mantra 220 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: going forward in my career, you know, Um, is that 221 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: not only did you not see me coming, but now 222 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: you better expect the unexpected because you know I'm still 223 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: here and I ain't going no goddamn ware. And that 224 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: that that eighties celebrity is different. That's real celebrity now 225 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: ain't real right, right celebrities? And I'm sure that's why 226 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 1: people recognize you all over the world. UM. You know, yes, 227 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: I totally understand that concept because the eighties were such 228 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 1: a very specific time and such a pinnacle for it 229 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: for culture, pop culture, um. And so to survive that, 230 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: um and just what you know, society wise and life wise, 231 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: what was going on. I think it was just a lot. 232 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:37,559 Speaker 1: So if you got to the other side of that 233 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: and you're still going hoo, you know, great, But yeah, 234 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: I think that that's part of it. It's almost like 235 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: the characters in the seventies, you know, and even though 236 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: facts life had just started them, but you still had 237 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: those staples, you know that that were beloved as well. 238 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: So I do think that some of it is the 239 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: time that I was getting my come upance, you know, 240 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,959 Speaker 1: which is why I'm so excited about the Upshaws, because 241 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: it's such a new and fresh take on a style 242 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: of storytelling that everyone loves, the sitcom, the classic sitcom, 243 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,320 Speaker 1: but in such an edgy you know, again expect the 244 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: unexpected kind of vibe as as a little black girl 245 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: coming from how did you get into acting? So mom 246 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 1: is well was because she claims that she's retired. She's 247 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: a director now she directs Young Dylan. But my mother 248 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 1: is an actress, and so she was starring in Hello 249 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: Dolly with Pearl Bailey when I was a little girl, 250 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: and I would go backstage and see her go out 251 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: on tour, and I would love to see the behind 252 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: the scenes. That was the magic to me. Very shy person, 253 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: Kim Fields, and even as a kid, very shy. And 254 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: so the idea of performing and wanting to be seen 255 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:57,079 Speaker 1: not my thing at all. But the magic seeing the 256 00:13:57,160 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: costumes and the wigs and the makeup and the sets 257 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: and the props, and that was my sweet spot. I 258 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 1: was finding more and more and so that's how I 259 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: got kind of into it. Mom was in acting class 260 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: here in New York, and we couldn't afford a babysitter, 261 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: and so she would take me to her acting class 262 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: with her. There were other kids there their parents couldn't 263 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: afford babysitters. Danielle Spencer, who played d on What's Happening, 264 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: she was a part of that little tribe. Uh. And 265 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: so that's where we got introduced to it. We would 266 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: imitate what we saw our parents are doing, just because 267 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: we were bored. And that was how we entertained ourselves. 268 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: First commercial was um uh Miss Butterworth sirup. When I 269 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: was seven, um and Mom had moved us to LA 270 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: she couldn't take Harleman and yeah, exactly, yeah, And my 271 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: mom was like, no, I can't. I can't do this 272 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: anymore and I can't raise a baby girl on my 273 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: own in this environment. And my mom, you know, she 274 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: was she was a teen mom basically. Uh. And so 275 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: she finished high school at high school before Army Arts, 276 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: and then after she toured with a Hello Dollars, she 277 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: was like, nope, let's go. So I was at PS 278 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: ninety two, came back home and when everything was fine. 279 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: By the time I got back home, the little bit 280 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: that we did have was packed up, and she was like, yeah, 281 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: we're leaving tonight. Okay, wow. Yeah, you know, it's so interesting. 282 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: I mean I was going to ask, you know, how 283 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: did a child star survive and not go crazy like 284 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: we see so many of them. Yeah, I got my answer. 285 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: Your mom was in the business. Yeah, she already knew 286 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: all the demons, all the evils to keep you away from. 287 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: You know, I am always amazed at how my mom 288 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: was able to raise me when she was such a 289 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: kid herself and had no blueprint at all. But my village, 290 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: you know, those that my mom chose to have around me, 291 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: and then as I you know, grew up and you know, 292 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: invited people into my life in my space, my village 293 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: is extraordinary and they really do keep me together, keep 294 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: me grounded. You know, they're there for me in the 295 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: low lows and the high highs, you know, and so 296 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: um that has definitely helped um me not lose it. 297 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: And I didn't want to be a statistic I thought 298 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: that I owed again my village, um way more than that, 299 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: you know, than than what the normal child star path 300 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: you know, was going to be. I was gonna ask 301 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: it because you hear all these stories about young child actors. Yeah, 302 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: these grown men taking advantage of them, whether it's through 303 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: the contract or sexually. And you were able to go 304 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: through that because your mom was right by your side 305 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: the whole time. Yeah. Absolutely, Mom's right there. My aunt 306 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: Pat was right there. Um again the rest of my 307 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 1: village as I got older and and and just had 308 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: really lifelong friends, Blair Underwood, Malcolm Jamal Warner. Um, you 309 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: know it's blessed royalty right there. Yeah, says wow, like 310 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: because because not too many people you know the character's names, 311 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: you know, the real name. Like, that's just I don't know, 312 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: I don't think you'll realize how much of a part 313 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: of our childhood y'all work. Yeah you know what I mean? 314 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,360 Speaker 1: And are Yeah, yeah, I think now we do because 315 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: there's more accessibility, you know, with that the way that 316 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 1: that you can access your either fan base or your audience, 317 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: or the fans or the viewers can access you to 318 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: a certain extent. So I feel like we do no 319 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Um, and that's been very helpful, 320 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,679 Speaker 1: you know, especially in moments where it's like this, this 321 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: was kind of thankless. But at the end of the day, Um, 322 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: you're you realize, but I'm still here and I'm still 323 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: blessed to do what I do. And again, at that 324 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: highest level, how do you survive that social media time? 325 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 1: Because at one time, like you said, you will only 326 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,119 Speaker 1: seen when you want it to be seen, right, But 327 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: now it's like you know, you you go to the mall, 328 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: or you go to the grocery store. Yeah, somebody sneaking 329 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 1: the pictures, taking picture. I mean you can just have 330 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: a head wrapper on or your garden working you know, right, 331 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 1: well take a picture, you know. How do you navigate 332 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: through that? Well? I for me, you know, there's again 333 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 1: people have seen me since I was seven, so there's 334 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: really no like kind of hiding space, hiding place. Um. 335 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: And you know, so I'm comfortable, like if I don't 336 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: have the makeup, Hey, it is what it is. Y'all 337 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: have seen the space before it knew makeup, So there 338 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 1: you go. Um. But I I feel like I've kind 339 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 1: of navigated certain areas of social media, um one from 340 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: that standpoint of if you can't beat them, join them, um, 341 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: and also doing it on my own terms. You know, 342 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 1: if I don't, if I'm not up for posting, or 343 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,400 Speaker 1: I feel like I've had just a sensory overload, take 344 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: a little breather. Um. But but it's a it's a 345 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,199 Speaker 1: space that I actually enjoy because, um, I get Number one, 346 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 1: I get to connect um with certain people. I've even 347 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: even you know, collaborations. I just did a collaboration with 348 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 1: Jonathan McReynolds, um, and he sang on on my soundtrack 349 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 1: and now it's under consideration for an Emmy, so you know, 350 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: and that was because I thank you. But I reached 351 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: out on Instagram because we follow each other, and you know, 352 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: dms can be great and horrible, so in that moment, 353 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,919 Speaker 1: it was great. Um. But but social media, you know, 354 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: there's certain things like, um, anytime somebody tries to throw 355 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: me in that auntie zone, I am quick to respond, 356 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: this is the no auntie zone. Hashtag no aunties, no 357 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: I am nobody. Yeah, Nah, we ain't. I like being 358 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 1: called they call me uncle like it really well good, Yeah, 359 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: I mean that's wonderful, but nahum. And I think it's 360 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:44,360 Speaker 1: you know, some of it too, if it's different from 361 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: you know, male female vibe. But um, yeah, I just uh, 362 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: I like the um the banter sometimes and the things 363 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: that you learn. Uh. Certainly, as a content provider, you 364 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,479 Speaker 1: have to be in the space so that you know 365 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 1: what's current and and what's relevant. As an entrepreneur, I'm 366 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: in the space. It has helped me tremendously, as with 367 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,360 Speaker 1: my budding coffee and tea business signature Blends by KF 368 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: because at that point I don't have to spend what 369 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 1: you know, a major company would spend on marketing and advertising. So, 370 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: you know, I think social media is a great tool. 371 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,719 Speaker 1: I don't set out People have said a lot that 372 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: my my pages or my spaces are like a really 373 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: happy place or a destination. I don't try to be 374 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: a role model. I don't try to be inspirational and 375 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 1: all that most of the time. And I think with 376 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: a lot of the work that you do, it's from 377 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: that place. Well, here's what I need. I'm speaking to 378 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: myself first, and if somebody sees it and get something 379 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: from it, great, But most of the time it's I'm 380 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: seeing either what I need or I'm seeing something that 381 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 1: I need and it's not out there, so i'll i'll, 382 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: you know, Mom told me very when I was very young, 383 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:04,879 Speaker 1: find a need and feel it, or if you see 384 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: a need, then then feel that. And so a lot 385 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: of time my social media um is coming from that 386 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,959 Speaker 1: kind of space, you know, um, and I enjoy it, 387 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: you know, And when people try to get negative, that's right, 388 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: block either block or it's in the trash. Now, how 389 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 1: you approach your I said you mentioned your DMS. Yes, 390 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: how many fellas are in your DMS. It's getting surprised 391 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,439 Speaker 1: about old or young. I'm sure got to be some 392 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 1: young men in the MS as well as some older people. 393 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 1: Actually a great question, because I think what y'all generation 394 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: don't realize is y'all are showing a different level of 395 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:43,479 Speaker 1: aging gracefully, like when we were growing up, forty and 396 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: fifty used to seem like old. Yeah that was that 397 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: was great? Yes, yeah, um, Well I mean to answer 398 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,159 Speaker 1: that in my in my DMS, just you know, I 399 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 1: basically have it set to the people that I know, 400 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,159 Speaker 1: So I don't have any like surprise, like oh my god. No. 401 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: And then in terms of like aging, it's such a different, 402 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: like you said, at such a different time, it's such 403 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: a different everything, you know, And so I plan on 404 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 1: adventuring and journeying and doing I mean, just I'm in 405 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: such a new space, I think too. And again the 406 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: genesis of it dancing with the stars and then being 407 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: regarded the way that I am as an executive producer. 408 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 1: You know, people talk about having a seat at the table. 409 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,479 Speaker 1: My journey quite honestly, as I felt like I had 410 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: to actually build the table in the chairs, and then 411 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: everybody was like, oh well, let me come to this table. 412 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,119 Speaker 1: So I have a seat at the table. It's just different. 413 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: Had a table and that seat got created, and so 414 00:22:54,640 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 1: that's actually very empowering and very exhilarated, liberating. Oh we yeah, 415 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: so that's that's really where I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm 416 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: really hovering and moving about and and so with that, yeah, 417 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,880 Speaker 1: as I'm leveling up age wise, Um, it's it's one 418 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: of those like you know, like the Princess said, age 419 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 1: ain't nothing but a number. That's right, have gotten better 420 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: or worse for black creators in the industry. I think, 421 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: you know, in my humble opinion, I think it's gotten better. Um, 422 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: just from the standpoint that I mean, the the the 423 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 1: opportunities that we can create ourselves, and the gatekeepers aren't 424 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: really there like they used to be. I mean, back 425 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: in the day, we had what three networks, five networks. 426 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 1: Now there's so many platforms. Now you have any kind 427 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 1: of phone with a camera and you can become your 428 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 1: own network really quickly. Um, there's so many different outlets 429 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: that you can populate content on and things like that. 430 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 1: So I felt like it's or not just for people 431 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: of color, but just people period, you know, anybody that 432 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: is in that creative space or whatever space you're in 433 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 1: and want to create content. I just was doing research 434 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: for a show about architects, and so in that research 435 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: finding all sorts of like there's a YouTube platform where 436 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: this guy and this girl and all they do is 437 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: they talk about different topics regarding architecture and it's massive, 438 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 1: you know, and it's just one of those things where 439 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 1: it's like whatever, you're interesting. There's a guy on ig 440 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: the fishing guy. Okay, I'm mad at you. Whatever you 441 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: want to do. So I feel like it's it's the 442 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: accessibility you know, is there in technology has really helped 443 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: us in terms of quality. Don't don't know junk of 444 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: their people just because you can. Now you mentioned coffee line. Yes, 445 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 1: now how did you get Why did you get into 446 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: the coffee business? So you're a huge coffee drinker? Oh 447 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: my goodness, yes, yeah, huge coffee and tea drinkers. So 448 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: when I was a little kid, my teacher in third 449 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: rage she would read to us every day after lunch, 450 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: and she was reading Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 451 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: and she had this enormous thermus of black hot coffee 452 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 1: that she would drink, and so the aroma from that 453 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,719 Speaker 1: and listening to the story, I always felt like I 454 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 1: was in like the Chocolate Factory. Fast forward to me 455 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:22,919 Speaker 1: graduating from college and I read Russell Simmons autobiography and 456 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:28,440 Speaker 1: it really really before that one before do you Yeah? 457 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 1: Life and Death was it called, But it's the nineties, 458 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: it was. I think it was before that, but it was. 459 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: It was really a game changer for me from the 460 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 1: standpoint of I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. 461 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:43,880 Speaker 1: I know, I didn't want to wait around for some 462 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 1: things to happen. And then it became, well, what do 463 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: you want to do? And I knew I didn't want 464 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: to just license my name, and so coffee, I knew 465 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 1: was certainly sustainable. I loved the idea that being a 466 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:59,120 Speaker 1: global I'd like to think of myself as a global citizen, 467 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: and so doing coffee and tea gave me an opportunity 468 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: to be in that global space as an entrepreneur, working 469 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: with over thirty six countries around the world, in different 470 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,640 Speaker 1: farms and growers in the bean belt. So it's very exciting. 471 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: But also on a deeper level, I love that coffee 472 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:19,160 Speaker 1: is always a part of someone's day, someone's moment, you know, 473 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: or tea, but from that standpoint of you know, you 474 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: reach forward first thing in the morning, then to get 475 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 1: through the day, then to wind down, or have it 476 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: with desert, or after dinner having a difficult or a 477 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 1: business deal, a conversation that may be uncomfortable, Hey, let's 478 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 1: grab a coffee and talk things over. So I just 479 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: love that it was always a part of someone's moment 480 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 1: at any given time, and I'd see a lot of 481 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: my career has been like that as well. Are you 482 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:49,400 Speaker 1: on a those ones that can't even do nothing until 483 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: you get your couple of coffee, don't want to talk 484 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: to nobody. According to my eight year old, yes, even 485 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: look at me on FaceTime if we're not together, anybody, 486 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: ooh what you get some caffeine and then hit me back. 487 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: So uh for the most part, yes, yes I am. 488 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: I want to talk to you about the content of 489 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 1: black you know shows art right. Do you think that 490 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: it was some type of conspiracy to change the content 491 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: because everybody talked about how you know the content is 492 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,199 Speaker 1: you know, destructive now and influencing people the wrong way. 493 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 1: But growing up, you know, you saw a living single 494 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: it was yeah, y'all had careers. You know, y'all weren't 495 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: I guess, quote unquote ratchet, even though there's nothing wrong 496 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 1: being a little rachet. But you know, it's like, do 497 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,479 Speaker 1: you think there was a conspiracy to change the content 498 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 1: of the shows? You know, if if I'm really for real, 499 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 1: for real about it, there's probably a conspiracy about every 500 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: damn thing. Yeah, and especially anything positive to impact any people, 501 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: let alone people of color. Um that said, Um, I don't, 502 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 1: I'm not aware of anything that was that, you know, Um, 503 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: in your face about it. Um. I think that as 504 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:03,880 Speaker 1: a as a content provider, you have to listen to 505 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 1: what the audience is saying that they want to see, 506 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:09,880 Speaker 1: you know, and when they put on these great shows 507 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 1: or positive shows or whatever and people aren't watching, they 508 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 1: get snatched up. So it's almost like are we are 509 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: we in our own way sometimes? But you know, hey, 510 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: we don't have to watch everything just because it's black people, 511 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,479 Speaker 1: or just because it's music, or just because it's you know, 512 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: there are certainly many different ways that people can enjoy 513 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,239 Speaker 1: content and stories, and so I think at the end 514 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,919 Speaker 1: of the day, it's really about what's good storytelling, what 515 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: are really good characters. I think that's what people want 516 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 1: to see. And then it becomes the timing of it. 517 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: You know, there are some shows that you feel like, God, 518 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:47,719 Speaker 1: that was ahead of its time, and then some shows 519 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: you like, Okay, we've seen enough of that type of show, 520 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: can we please see something else. So I don't know 521 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:57,479 Speaker 1: that there's a conspiracy where it there was, but I 522 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 1: feel like there are certain efforts that that we, as 523 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: the viewers, we actually contribute to true true you know, 524 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: Kim Cole's say that Fox use black shows like living 525 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: single and Martin to build a network then kick them 526 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: out the house. Yeah. Um, I mean you know when 527 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 1: you when you are growing a network and creating something 528 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: from scratch, Yes, you do gravitate towards what do we 529 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: know is going to sell right away? What do we 530 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: know we'll have that loyal audience right away? And historically speaking, 531 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: it's been black shows. Um. But yes, there is that 532 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: sense of Okay, we got the numbers, we grew the audience. 533 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 1: And then sometimes it's also if there's a changing of 534 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 1: the guard, if there's a new network executive and they 535 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: want to create a new vision, put it in a 536 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: new direction. Then you know, and it has nothing to 537 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: do with being you know, shows of color. Um, then 538 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,240 Speaker 1: you know you you go that route. Um. So so 539 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: I think that yeah, that there there. It's definitely something 540 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: to what Kim said in terms of, um, you know 541 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: how they build the network? Um. Yes, do I think 542 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: that there could have been a touch more finessing in 543 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: terms of how you transition into whatever the new direction is. Um. 544 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: But you know, people run their network how they want 545 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 1: to run it. So how important is that they have 546 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 1: a creator like a Regina Hicks who's worked on like 547 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: Insecure Girl Friends Sister sister is an important to have 548 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: somebody who understands those legendary black sitcoms and what it 549 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: takes to create one. Yes, um from the standpoint of 550 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:40,719 Speaker 1: her experience, not in my opinion, not because she's a 551 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:45,960 Speaker 1: woman or a woman of color, you know, but and 552 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: here's why, because there are those of us. My caps 553 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: one decides me, we are people of color, and you know, 554 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 1: two of us are women, one is a man of color. 555 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 1: So we're already going to bring some of that to 556 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: the table. So the idea of well we need somebody 557 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: who understands that voice, well, not if we have that 558 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 1: voice her her resume and what she knows about running 559 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: a writer's room or what she knows about how to 560 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 1: have a you know, a successful show on a successful comedy. 561 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,560 Speaker 1: Those to me are the more important boxes to check 562 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: if you're going to just you know, start checking boxes. 563 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: But I do feel like there has to be that 564 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: sense of diversity even when you are telling a specific 565 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: type of story. Like people will say, oh, I'm looking 566 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 1: for a black director, I need a female director. Well 567 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:38,640 Speaker 1: I check those boxes, but I don't approach it that way. 568 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: I'm a director and so my sensibilities are about how 569 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: to tell a great story. Secondary and what's kind of 570 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: tertiary is yes I'm female, or yes I'm a person 571 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 1: of color, but but for me, it's you know, if 572 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: you're a great director, you should be able to tell 573 00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: anybody's story. Now I love that because you know, you 574 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: have some companies they got that title now with the 575 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: president of President of Diversity and Inclusion. But it might 576 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: be a black person that has no connection to the 577 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: black community experience people whatsoever. Listen, I you know, in 578 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: the wake of certain um tragedies, in the wake of 579 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: certain um difficult moments in society, Um, we had some 580 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: you know what some would consider forward motion, forward movement 581 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 1: um and exactly what you're saying. And for me, I'm 582 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 1: not I'm not about being a box checker. And when 583 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 1: you are a box checker and then you don't have 584 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: the skill set to back it up, it's like, okay, 585 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: get get get in the door with the boxes that 586 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: you check. But then what you're gonna do when you're 587 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: in the door, you have to have the skill set. 588 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: You got to bring the thunder. Otherwise you're just a 589 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:56,480 Speaker 1: box checker taken up air. So then check the box 590 00:32:56,520 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 1: that I'm an air taker upper you think that's messing 591 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: up the art because it feels like sometimes they'll put 592 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 1: some black shows on black movies and it should be whack. Yeah, yes, yes, 593 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 1: I do, Yes, I do. I feel like it's messing 594 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: up the art, the craft, um, the culture. I mean 595 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: just just I mean, come on, you know there are 596 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 1: people that, um, you know, the diversity on anything, it's 597 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 1: what's up. I mean, it just makes it that much 598 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,000 Speaker 1: more interesting, that much more collaborative, that's that much more 599 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: real in terms of what the reality is in most 600 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 1: people's environments. And it just makes to me for it 601 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: for it to be more interesting. I think, Yeah, I 602 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: want you diverse in thought though I like I like diverthity, 603 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: but I like diversity and thought, diversity and creativity. Like 604 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: what you said, the talent first, yeah, you know, absolutely absolutely, 605 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 1: and then hey, if you check a box or two, cool, 606 00:33:56,520 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, that's more of 607 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 1: a I think of a corporate minds mindset of checking 608 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 1: those boxes as because because they want to look good, 609 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: that's right. But then it's like, okay, but then the 610 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 1: work that's being put out there, and not just in 611 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: terms of the creative space. But anything you know, you should. 612 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:18,919 Speaker 1: You could be at a Microsoft and if you yes, 613 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: I check the box. I'm black, I'm female, I'm fluid, 614 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 1: I'm by, I'm pronoun free or I mean just all 615 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,560 Speaker 1: of that, and then you know, now it's time to 616 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 1: show up and do the work that's right. And you 617 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 1: might be wet. Now. You talked about you know, you 618 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: wanted to do reality show, you wanted to be a director, 619 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: you wanted to do this. Is there anything that's that 620 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: you haven't done yet that you want to do that 621 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 1: You're like, this is what I want to do. Oh 622 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,239 Speaker 1: my gosh, Well, I guess I don't approach it like 623 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:48,759 Speaker 1: bucket list five. You know, I think I approach it 624 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: more of just you know, here's some shit I want 625 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 1: to do. Let's let's go. So so for me, I'm 626 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:57,680 Speaker 1: definitely I want to do more drama. Definitely want to 627 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:02,839 Speaker 1: do um sci fi because I love sci fi and fantasy. 628 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:05,439 Speaker 1: And you know, folks can't just be the only ones 629 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:08,880 Speaker 1: in you know, blue and green makeup and getting the check. 630 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:11,360 Speaker 1: I mean, come on, I put another color on me 631 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 1: and I'll get a check. Check his birthday today, what 632 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 1: we're doing today, baby, birthday. The only thing right at 633 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 1: three and I got work out at six. But you know, 634 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 1: I'm watching Miss Marvel on Disney Plus and there's a 635 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:30,600 Speaker 1: welcome News Jersey sign on exit fourteen. They have Miss 636 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 1: Marvel sitting on top of the sign. I want to 637 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: go see it. I love I'm a science fiction guy, 638 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 1: tomic guy. I'm a blurd. I like his birthday. He 639 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,960 Speaker 1: wants to drive down there, just see it, just to 640 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: see it. Yeah, she's the first Muslim superhero. She's on 641 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 1: top of the sign. Right, So now I thought you 642 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 1: was gonna say that you wanted to be up there 643 00:35:50,640 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 1: and sitting next to her on that's some birthday. No, No, 644 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:11,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna drive by. I got a couple more questions 645 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 1: because you know, you said earlier, you said, this is 646 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 1: a thankless business. So what do black creators need to 647 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:24,839 Speaker 1: do to get there? Just do m M. Manage your 648 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: expectations on getting that. Just do manage your expectations, because 649 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, usually my answer is, you know, be good, 650 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:37,480 Speaker 1: be better than you know, set the bar, don't just 651 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 1: don't just don't just get to the bar and in 652 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,320 Speaker 1: fact raise the bar, and all of that is fine, 653 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:44,640 Speaker 1: but then you can do all of that and still 654 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 1: feel like, well that now what you know, I didn't 655 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: get any accolades or I didn't get any flowers, I 656 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:55,319 Speaker 1: didn't get any awards, I didn't get a pickup. So 657 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:59,719 Speaker 1: I feel like managing your expectations, you know, and I 658 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:03,799 Speaker 1: know you you were specific in terms of black creatives, 659 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 1: but for anybody that's listening, you know, and you're looking 660 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 1: at wanting to go further, you know, hit it stronger 661 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: and and level up and raise the bar and and 662 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 1: all of that. Um, those are fantastic goals to have 663 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:23,400 Speaker 1: and more than likely attainable. But at the end of 664 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:27,439 Speaker 1: the day, you can do all of that, and if 665 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:33,080 Speaker 1: your goal is beyond what you can control, then you 666 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 1: know you have to manage that expectation versus It's a 667 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:39,919 Speaker 1: great example. Years ago Blair and I were to Blair 668 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:43,960 Speaker 1: and Wood and I were talking about auditioning, and uh, 669 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:47,160 Speaker 1: he said, you know, make the goal something other than 670 00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 1: booking the gig, because that's actually not in your control. 671 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:54,319 Speaker 1: You can go in there, crush it, kill it, give 672 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,000 Speaker 1: them something they never thought about for that role. I mean, 673 00:37:57,080 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 1: be extraordinary and not book it because of circumstances beyond 674 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:04,920 Speaker 1: your control. They've already cast, they're going with a different 675 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 1: type of look, they're going with a different name, all 676 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:11,520 Speaker 1: kinds of things, And so what is the goal, you know, 677 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:14,279 Speaker 1: But don't make the goal something pressurized, like I gotta 678 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:16,440 Speaker 1: book this to pay my rent, I gotta book this 679 00:38:16,520 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: to get the light bill paid, or my baby's needs. 680 00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 1: Use whatever it is, because that pressure will then mess 681 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:23,759 Speaker 1: you up and you won't be able to be at 682 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:27,719 Speaker 1: your best. But when you find that space where you 683 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 1: are not in a pressurized moment, then make the goal 684 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 1: something that you can control. Oh, I want to do 685 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:39,920 Speaker 1: better with my comedy, or I want to work on 686 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:42,799 Speaker 1: being off book in an audition a bit more, knowing 687 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:45,320 Speaker 1: all the lines, a bit more things that you can control. 688 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:47,640 Speaker 1: That way, even if you don't get the job, you 689 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 1: go okay, But at least I was off book. At 690 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:53,520 Speaker 1: least I feel like I got my comedy going a 691 00:38:53,560 --> 00:38:56,160 Speaker 1: bit more because I'm more of a dramatic dramatic actor. 692 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,880 Speaker 1: So that's what I think when I say manage your expectations. 693 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 1: You know now you mentioned auditioning, do you still audition 694 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:07,560 Speaker 1: for parts? No? Um? I I mean I know I'm 695 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 1: either offer only or like with the upshaws, Um, chemistry. Um, 696 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:16,360 Speaker 1: certain things. I will do a meet and greet with 697 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:20,239 Speaker 1: either the director or the producer just because, like you 698 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 1: said earlier, Bro, I don't know what's in some people's 699 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:25,440 Speaker 1: heads if they haven't seen The Upshaws when they hear 700 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:28,359 Speaker 1: the name Kim Fields, I don't know what visuals gonna 701 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,880 Speaker 1: pop up in there. And even if you google me, 702 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:32,960 Speaker 1: I don't know what image, and you know there's a 703 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:34,600 Speaker 1: slew of them to come up. How old am I 704 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:39,279 Speaker 1: gonna be? Am? I grown? Am? My kids? Am I 705 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:43,399 Speaker 1: an eighties teen? That just nobody wants to see? You know? So? 706 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 1: So I don't mind meet and greets and things like that, 707 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:52,359 Speaker 1: but I don't necessarily audition in that truest sense of 708 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:55,319 Speaker 1: the word. So what that's that's great advice you gave. 709 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:57,839 Speaker 1: What's what is your intention when you do a show 710 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:03,839 Speaker 1: like The Upshaws? Um to do something again that I've 711 00:40:03,880 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: never done before. So those characters and my character in particular, 712 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:12,200 Speaker 1: I've not played that type of character. So even though 713 00:40:12,239 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 1: I've done, you know, fourteen fifteen years of sitcom television, 714 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: what makes this moment different? Well, this is edgier, edgier 715 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:24,000 Speaker 1: than living single. But yeah, because at that time living 716 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:27,319 Speaker 1: single for me was totally edgy to go from fact 717 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:32,120 Speaker 1: to life to living single. That was for real uncharted waters. 718 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 1: So now doing that same kind of thing, Okay, so 719 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:38,719 Speaker 1: what are my expectations? Yeah, you want to do the 720 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:41,160 Speaker 1: kind of great work that makes your industry and your 721 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 1: peers take notice and you know, submit you for awards 722 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:47,879 Speaker 1: and all these other things. But if not, I'm ana 723 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:51,920 Speaker 1: be all right because I feel like, wow, that scene 724 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,200 Speaker 1: I put my foot in it. Wow, that moment there 725 00:40:55,480 --> 00:40:59,000 Speaker 1: was really great, you know, And so I feel like 726 00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:01,799 Speaker 1: that to me is really when you go back to 727 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:05,360 Speaker 1: the goals and what are my expectations that I'm managing. 728 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:08,680 Speaker 1: Season two just dropped, so you know, yeah, of course 729 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:13,200 Speaker 1: we want everybody to love it. Everything ain't for everybody, 730 00:41:13,239 --> 00:41:16,319 Speaker 1: every black thing and for every black person. But at 731 00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 1: the end of the day, I'm looking at okay, for 732 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:22,920 Speaker 1: my character, you know, did I did? I leave it 733 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:26,120 Speaker 1: all on the floor, And that becomes my goal and 734 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:30,080 Speaker 1: my expectation. That's what I expect from myself, and then 735 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 1: everything else is the gravy train. You talked about doing 736 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:35,800 Speaker 1: something for the check, doing something for the money to 737 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:37,759 Speaker 1: keep the light bills on. Have you ever did a 738 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:39,680 Speaker 1: role for the check and regretted it later on. If 739 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:41,200 Speaker 1: there was ever a part in your life would be like, 740 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:43,000 Speaker 1: well I gotta do it for this and then hate 741 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:45,520 Speaker 1: it yourself later on, like I didn't like that. No, 742 00:41:45,719 --> 00:41:51,000 Speaker 1: because excuse me, because, um, I first, I don't live 743 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:53,720 Speaker 1: in regrets. I mean, there's just what's the point of that. 744 00:41:53,719 --> 00:41:56,520 Speaker 1: That's that's energy that could be you know, used for 745 00:41:56,560 --> 00:42:00,959 Speaker 1: something else. UM. But but I have UM, I don't 746 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:05,520 Speaker 1: necessarily take a role for the check. Um. Sometimes it's 747 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 1: for the opportunity. UM. So if it becomes a situation 748 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:11,400 Speaker 1: of oh well it's a small role, but it's to 749 00:42:11,440 --> 00:42:14,799 Speaker 1: work with so and so, then okay, yeah, sure, or 750 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:18,960 Speaker 1: it positions me. I'm really big on positioning yourself and 751 00:42:19,000 --> 00:42:23,680 Speaker 1: so if it puts me in a different position, then okay, yeah, 752 00:42:23,719 --> 00:42:27,200 Speaker 1: you know, UM, thankfully, I'm more about who do I 753 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:31,200 Speaker 1: feel like being bothered with? You know, who do I 754 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:34,919 Speaker 1: feel like I want to work with? Um? Because that's real, 755 00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:38,279 Speaker 1: you know, and I and I really am clear and 756 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:40,600 Speaker 1: grateful that I've gotten to a point in my career 757 00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:45,000 Speaker 1: where if I'm like I think I'm I'm good, I'm no, 758 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,400 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't really want to you know, have 759 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:50,719 Speaker 1: that kind of energy in my in my energy right now. 760 00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:54,400 Speaker 1: And so there have been you know, projects or opportunities 761 00:42:54,719 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 1: or I've passed on that, you know, it would have 762 00:42:56,200 --> 00:43:00,120 Speaker 1: been a great check. I'm I'll find another way to 763 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:02,160 Speaker 1: make some paper. Got what what do you what do 764 00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:04,440 Speaker 1: you expect from the upshaw? The Netflix? And that reason 765 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:05,919 Speaker 1: I asked that because I'm sure there was a huge 766 00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:10,719 Speaker 1: difference between Facts of Life and Living Single, you know, 767 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:14,200 Speaker 1: and then the net the streaming service. That's like what 768 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:19,239 Speaker 1: is that as cable a note? Living Single was was 769 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:22,960 Speaker 1: broadcast broadcast and then uh, fact Life from network yep, 770 00:43:23,160 --> 00:43:25,879 Speaker 1: And so the streaming service what's the differences and those 771 00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 1: three things well as a as as a business model. Um, 772 00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:35,560 Speaker 1: you know, streaming services are just different because you um, 773 00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:38,000 Speaker 1: you can either get all the episodes at once, or 774 00:43:38,040 --> 00:43:40,400 Speaker 1: you can get them you know once a week like 775 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:45,080 Speaker 1: like a regular you know network would would distribute them. Um. 776 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:49,240 Speaker 1: Sometimes there's a tendency to feel that a streaming service 777 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:52,279 Speaker 1: will give a show more of a chance, you know, 778 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:54,960 Speaker 1: as opposed to what we air three episodes they didn't work, 779 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:56,480 Speaker 1: so we don't yank the show and it's like, well wait, 780 00:43:56,520 --> 00:43:58,200 Speaker 1: give it give it, give it to time, give it 781 00:43:58,280 --> 00:44:02,120 Speaker 1: some time. Um. And the same with cable. Cable and 782 00:44:02,280 --> 00:44:05,960 Speaker 1: streaming are usually kind of like kissing cousins in my mind, 783 00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:11,040 Speaker 1: because it's you know, for the most part, commercial free. Um, 784 00:44:11,120 --> 00:44:15,120 Speaker 1: you have more liberty creatively. Back in the day, it 785 00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:18,239 Speaker 1: was thought to have been a little edgier, so you 786 00:44:18,239 --> 00:44:20,240 Speaker 1: could do more, you could say more, you could cuss, 787 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:22,520 Speaker 1: you could show new today. I mean, you know, so 788 00:44:22,680 --> 00:44:24,279 Speaker 1: there were all sorts of things that you could do 789 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:28,759 Speaker 1: on cable and then on streaming that you couldn't necessarily 790 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:33,720 Speaker 1: do on a broadcast network. I was gonna ask question 791 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:36,880 Speaker 1: with that to all those three different things, what you 792 00:44:36,920 --> 00:44:41,600 Speaker 1: talk about. I feel like sometimes with streaming it cuts 793 00:44:41,640 --> 00:44:44,320 Speaker 1: the life short, right because every week you was waiting 794 00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:46,719 Speaker 1: to see that see that network. But now if you all, 795 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:48,960 Speaker 1: let's say I watched the whole thing this weekend. Yeah, 796 00:44:48,960 --> 00:44:52,120 Speaker 1: now I don't see you for another you know, until yeah, yeah, 797 00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:54,520 Speaker 1: you know I miss you. But now you know every 798 00:44:54,600 --> 00:44:56,480 Speaker 1: day I would have to wait for a Thursday night 799 00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:59,000 Speaker 1: to see the conte wait for you know, whatever night 800 00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:05,760 Speaker 1: to see a single. So does that hurt at all? Um? 801 00:45:05,960 --> 00:45:08,080 Speaker 1: I think some people would argue that, yes, it does 802 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:11,200 Speaker 1: hurt it in a certain way. UM. This this this 803 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:17,239 Speaker 1: um newer business model, um of distribution. UM. But I 804 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:20,200 Speaker 1: mean it still works for you know, some people love 805 00:45:20,239 --> 00:45:22,960 Speaker 1: to binge uh and then it goes away and then 806 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:25,279 Speaker 1: you want to you know, you revisit it, like you said, yeah, 807 00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:27,839 Speaker 1: I'm a miss you. UM. So I think that there's 808 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:32,520 Speaker 1: something to be said for both models. I think, uh, 809 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:35,400 Speaker 1: a platform like Disney Plus uh and now some of 810 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:38,640 Speaker 1: the others have caught on where they will stream, but 811 00:45:38,680 --> 00:45:42,719 Speaker 1: they still drop you know, one episode a week. So 812 00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:45,799 Speaker 1: I think they've they've started understanding that people like that 813 00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:50,719 Speaker 1: hybrid um. Some people, uh, like Netflix has started doing 814 00:45:50,800 --> 00:45:53,800 Speaker 1: where they'll drop a certain you know number of episodes 815 00:45:53,800 --> 00:45:56,120 Speaker 1: and call that part one. Then you have you know, 816 00:45:56,239 --> 00:46:00,560 Speaker 1: part two, even though in broadcasts, because people want to 817 00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:04,480 Speaker 1: keep watching their favorite shows. So remember you used to 818 00:46:04,520 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 1: have like, you know, your cliffhanger, and that was for 819 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:09,800 Speaker 1: the summer, and then you didn't see any new episodes 820 00:46:09,880 --> 00:46:12,520 Speaker 1: till the fall. So now in the fall you get 821 00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:15,799 Speaker 1: new episodes and then they have your winter cliffhanger what 822 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:18,719 Speaker 1: is that? And then you you know, and then you 823 00:46:18,760 --> 00:46:22,520 Speaker 1: get new episodes after the top of the year. Absolutely 824 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:25,960 Speaker 1: absolutely shoot the show right, and yeah, what Netflix does 825 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:28,359 Speaker 1: is they wait for the show to hit big. Now 826 00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:30,520 Speaker 1: it's a hit. What was the show that just came 827 00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:32,760 Speaker 1: out recently, but the but they were shooting the people 828 00:46:32,880 --> 00:46:36,440 Speaker 1: whatever that was called. I can't think of it. Oh, 829 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:38,439 Speaker 1: Squid Games. So Squire Games came out right, everybody. Yeah, 830 00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:40,000 Speaker 1: but now you got to wait for them to shoot 831 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:42,400 Speaker 1: another squid game to get another budget to do that. 832 00:46:42,440 --> 00:46:44,319 Speaker 1: So yeah, by the time it comes out of a 833 00:46:44,400 --> 00:46:46,360 Speaker 1: year and a half later, I thought about it and 834 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:48,920 Speaker 1: I got to rewatch the first one to catch up 835 00:46:48,920 --> 00:46:52,680 Speaker 1: a hang. I like the more of the Yeah, catch on, 836 00:46:53,040 --> 00:46:55,960 Speaker 1: enjoy it. Yeah, absolutely, you hate it, but you do 837 00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:59,920 Speaker 1: it right. Was when I started realizing there was season, 838 00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:02,120 Speaker 1: because it just seemed like on Thursday nights, copy show 839 00:47:02,239 --> 00:47:05,160 Speaker 1: coming on everywhere, coming on Martin, coming on every single 840 00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:07,840 Speaker 1: coming on. My last question, you grew up in the 841 00:47:08,080 --> 00:47:14,560 Speaker 1: entertainment industry. What was the best and worst advice you received? Thankfully, 842 00:47:14,640 --> 00:47:18,719 Speaker 1: I've not had any bad advice. Wow, yeah, thankfully, And 843 00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:20,799 Speaker 1: if I had, I guess I just didn't listen. So 844 00:47:21,880 --> 00:47:25,640 Speaker 1: but my best advice was from my mom and she, 845 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:28,440 Speaker 1: I mean, my goodness. When I wrote my autobiography. I 846 00:47:28,520 --> 00:47:30,600 Speaker 1: just felt like it should be called, you know, chips 847 00:47:30,719 --> 00:47:33,799 Speaker 1: gems because my mother just dropped gem after gem in 848 00:47:33,840 --> 00:47:37,319 Speaker 1: my life. But when I was growing up, like one 849 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:40,120 Speaker 1: of the early days of facts of life, and she said, 850 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:42,359 Speaker 1: you started one hundred percent. And she put her hand 851 00:47:42,400 --> 00:47:45,040 Speaker 1: up here and she said, kimmey, you started one hundred percent. 852 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:48,080 Speaker 1: And everything that you do and say every day that 853 00:47:48,160 --> 00:47:52,680 Speaker 1: you're here either keeps you here or it can chip away, right, 854 00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:56,839 Speaker 1: And I was like, okay, all right, that's that's all right. 855 00:47:57,200 --> 00:47:59,359 Speaker 1: And then the second piece of advice when I went 856 00:47:59,440 --> 00:48:01,840 Speaker 1: to do the um the audition for the Miss Butterwort 857 00:48:01,880 --> 00:48:04,680 Speaker 1: Sarah commercial, so Janet was there and that was the 858 00:48:04,719 --> 00:48:07,120 Speaker 1: first time that I'd even seen her, met her. And 859 00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:12,239 Speaker 1: you know, they had those Jackson summer special Yes, yes, 860 00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:16,120 Speaker 1: and so they had those summer specials the Jacksons had, 861 00:48:16,520 --> 00:48:18,279 Speaker 1: and so I knew who she was and I've got 862 00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:20,759 Speaker 1: into that and that was my first audition, first time 863 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:23,720 Speaker 1: doing anything. We had just got in LA and I thought, 864 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:27,239 Speaker 1: oh my god, that's Janet Jackson. I don't I don't 865 00:48:27,280 --> 00:48:29,000 Speaker 1: belong here. I want to go home. I want to 866 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:32,520 Speaker 1: go home. And I got terrified I'm very insecure, and 867 00:48:32,680 --> 00:48:35,600 Speaker 1: my mom took me into the bathroom and she said, listen, 868 00:48:36,160 --> 00:48:39,359 Speaker 1: she's not doing anything to you. You were doing this 869 00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:44,879 Speaker 1: to yourself. Don't let anything or anybody intimidate you of 870 00:48:44,920 --> 00:48:47,440 Speaker 1: your own doing. But don't don't do it. And there 871 00:48:47,480 --> 00:48:49,880 Speaker 1: are times to this day guys, if I'm like feeling 872 00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:52,120 Speaker 1: you know, some kind of way or in my feelings 873 00:48:52,120 --> 00:48:55,799 Speaker 1: and feeling like, oh, I'm not sure whatever, and you know, 874 00:48:55,960 --> 00:48:59,160 Speaker 1: my level of confidence or my security is not on 875 00:48:59,239 --> 00:49:03,160 Speaker 1: full blast, I will go into the bathroom and tell myself, 876 00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:07,520 Speaker 1: don't let anything or anyone intimidate you. And especially when 877 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:09,680 Speaker 1: you're doing that to yourself and they're not even doing 878 00:49:09,719 --> 00:49:13,960 Speaker 1: anything to you, don't you allow your own mind to 879 00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:19,120 Speaker 1: do that. So those are the right that keeps the 880 00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:23,200 Speaker 1: child from never having imposter syndrome. Yeah, always feeling worthy, 881 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:25,920 Speaker 1: which is two things that you always deal with no 882 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:29,640 Speaker 1: matter how old you are. That's right, absolutely, absolutely, And 883 00:49:29,680 --> 00:49:33,080 Speaker 1: so that level of security, you know, really really helps 884 00:49:33,080 --> 00:49:37,120 Speaker 1: seal seal the deal for me. Yeah. Well, check out 885 00:49:37,160 --> 00:49:40,160 Speaker 1: the Upshore season two right now. And we appreciate you 886 00:49:40,200 --> 00:49:44,719 Speaker 1: for joining the legendary k Thank you, right listen, I'm 887 00:49:44,719 --> 00:49:47,120 Speaker 1: so glad that I was able to finally get here 888 00:49:47,120 --> 00:49:50,200 Speaker 1: and finally meet you. Happy birthday, Thank you, Thank you. 889 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:54,399 Speaker 1: Have an amazing, amazing next chapter filled with so much 890 00:49:54,760 --> 00:50:00,760 Speaker 1: adventure and wonder and success and being grounded. Happy birthday 891 00:50:00,760 --> 00:50:02,960 Speaker 1: to receive it all. Yes indeed, And go on and 892 00:50:03,000 --> 00:50:10,719 Speaker 1: sit up there next to her fields. It's the Breakfast Club. 893 00:50:10,760 --> 00:50:11,200 Speaker 1: Good morning,